A semiconductor device and method of making the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a memory gate on a charge storage structure formed on a substrate, a select gate on a gate dielectric on the substrate proximal to the memory gate, and a dielectric structure between the memory gate and the select gate, and adjacent to sidewalls of the memory gate and the select gate, wherein the memory gate and the select gate are separated by a thickness of the dielectric structure. Generally, the dielectric structure comprises multiple dielectric layers including a first dielectric layer adjacent the sidewall of the memory gate, and a nitride dielectric layer adjacent to the first dielectric layer and between the memory gate and the select gate. Other embodiments are also disclosed.